Monday, November 19, 2012

Even Paul did not go everywhere he expected to go in this life. As far as we know,
he never made it to Spain, though he had said he was going there. “Whensoever
I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey
and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled
with your company.” (Romans 15:24)This was his plan, to visit Rome on the way to
Spain. Instead he is taken to Rome as a prisoner, who had appealed, as a Roman
citizen, to Caesar regarding the questions that were raised by Paul’s ministry.
He was heard two times by Nero, and was executed in Rome. There is a
fascinating story of his last journey to Rome on the ship. We can look at it
and see many things that the Lord will teach us.

THE
BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGEIn Acts 27:1- 13 we are told about how
it started. Paul was at Caesarea where he was interviewed by Agrippa, and later
by Festus. They were going to take him back to Jerusalem to answer the Jew’s
charges, but could not do that when they found that Paul, a Roman citizen, had
appealed unto Caesar. Perhaps the narrator here was Luke, as well as Paul. It
seems that when Paul was writing from Rome, he said to Timothy “Only
Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he
is profitable to me for the ministry.”(2 Timothy 4:11) Remember, this is history, but it has a
spiritual application for us. The geographic setting is interesting, but more
so is He that rules the waves and wind. It was said seven times ‘The winds were contrary’, ‘How dangerous
they were’ ‘Not suffering us’, ‘There was a tempest’, etc. This was not
happenstance that Paul was where he was, but it was God’s Providence.

On the journey across the Mediterranean, we
are told of several stops and a change to a ship of Alexandria, which was bound
for Italy. We are told of several places they went. Then in verse 10, Paul was
speaking from much spiritual insight, but not full revelation yet, when he gave
forth a warning regarding the voyage. But, the centurion believed the helmsman
(or captain) instead of Paul. We see that Paul was not exempt from life’s
storms and tribulation, but had to bear them with the unsaved. They were not at
a good place for winter, so they continued sailing toward Crete. So far, so
good.

EUROCLYDON

“But not long
after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.” (Acts
27:14) To get the entire picture, I would urge you
to read over this chapter on your own to really grasp it. Actually, you should
slowly read chapter 27, and chapter 28 to get the entire story. I cannot cover all that in one message, so I will
continue the story here. In spite of the warning Paul had given, things
remained calm. There was a south wind, which verse 13 said ‘blew softly’.They thought all was okay. But in verse 14 we
are told that a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon
blew. This is the name of a particular type of Mediterranean hurricane called a
levanter (a strong northeast wind). They couldn’t hold it, so they let her
drive. It was evidently very fierce. Passing Claudia, they were fearful of
being blown into the sandbar of Syrtis (which is now the Gulf of Sidra, once Quddaffi’s
‘line of death’). So they lightened the ship as much as possible. Note: when
life’s storms hit, it is time to lighten the ship.

Then things got dark. “And when neither
sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should
be saved was then taken away.” (Acts 27:20) But they did know the song that we know. “When darkness seems to hide His face, I
rest on His unchanging grace. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other
ground is sinking sand.” God’s sovereign plan to encourage and care for His
own is found and clearly shown as Paul said in verse 22. “And now I exhort
you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man'slife among you, but of the
ship.” (Acts 27:22) But God sends
angels sometimes when we know it least, for the angel had said to Paul “For
there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath
given thee all them that sail with thee.” (Acts 27:23, 24) So Paul told
them “Wherefore,
sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told
me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.” (Acts 27:25-26)

ARRIVING AT OUR HAVEN SAFELYPaul’s continual
testimony was “I believe God”. He believed that God was going to see them all
through the storm. This is what we must believe in life’s storms; God will provide. The story goes on,
that after 14 nights Paul persuades the men to take food. They had been
evidently fasting. They ran aground on an island which we are later told was
Melita. I’d like to tell you all that happened there, but I must make several
points here. The men were so scared they were about to flee the ship.“Paul said to the centurion and to the
soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31)
Here we can see the sovereignty of God, as Paul had already said, but we also
see the responsibility of man. They must
abide in the ship. Look at Matthew 24:13, Colossians 1:23, and Hebrews 10:39 to
focus on this truth; God is sovereign, but man is responsible. Keep that in
mind.

It
is interesting that the soldiers cut the ropes from the rescue boat, which
closed the way of escape. This is to the sailors what they were depending on. In
life God wants us to depend on Him, not the ropes of men. There were 276 men
aboard, all at the mercy of God. They began to see that Paul was God’s man. God
has His servants where He wants them. His purpose will prevail! Just think,
these 276 men were all rescued by God’s grace because of one man. This ought to
encourage us to look to God’s leader He has over us, no matter where we are. In
our recent election here in the states many were almost in despair because
Obama got re-elected. But, we must remember, the future is in God’s hands. He
will bring about His will. Do we really understand that? Do we? I hope so.

When
they were going to run the ship aground, the word was 'kill the prisoners, lest
they escape’. “But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them fromtheirpurpose; and commanded that they which could swim
should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land.” (Acts
27:43) So all they aboard were saved. This was God’s purpose. But
remember, our last step home may be with violence. Some were on boards, some on
broken pieces, some swimming, but all made it safely. Not only on that island,
but they were later put on another ship going to Italy. It was God’s purpose. I’ll
say little about the island. I will say more next week, because several
important things took place.“And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can beagainst us?” (Romans 8:28-31)

Thursday, November 08, 2012

(Here is another very good word from my friend, Marianne Lordi. Read it and be strengthened. It will bless you. She writes with a burden and she has traveled where she writes. I pray God will use it for your good.)

”Cast your cares on the LORD and
he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” (Psalm 55:22)

I know that times are tough and
everyone is being hit with seemingly endless trials and
tribulations. As the devil realizes that his time is growing short,
the furor of hell has darkened this earth. We are living in a time of deception
when many are compromising the truth. In an attempt to mollify those who
just want to hear what tickles the ear, false teachers have watered down
the gospel to the extent that even the devil isn’t offended! It is
no wonder that as life’s storms grow fiercer, many people are having difficulty
trusting that God’s power is enough.

Christ will always have the
authority over everything that touches your life. God does not take a
walk to the other side of heaven and forget about your pain and heartache. He
sees each tear you shed. He has a full view of all that concerns
you. All the storms in a believer’s life are permitted for an eternal
reason. You are being made stronger and powerfully equipped for battle as
you grow in your understanding of God’s limitless power.

It was with this knowledge that Job
was able to cry out, “I know my Redeemer lives and
that in the end he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25) Despite losing his children, his
fortune and his health, Job still believed that God was with him! He said
of God, “When he is at work in the north,
I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he
knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”(Job 23:9-10)

You don’t have to see God to know
that he is with you every second and leading you on the path that he has chosen
for you long before the foundation of the earth. The devil himself can see
God’s presence and protection surrounding you. One thing I have said
before but is important enough to say again and that is that everything that
comes against you MUST bow to the will of God for your life! You have nothing
to fear for God will be with you to the end.

The perfect love of Christ breaks
the bondage of fear. You belong to Christ and his will for your life
cannot be hindered by any of your problems or weaknesses. Neither the
world, the flesh nor the devil can alter the purpose and plan of God for
you. There are no impossible situations for God. You need to look
past the fiery furnace of every affliction and see the presence of
Christ who is there to protect you. He alone has the final word in
what happens to you in every circumstance. Problems increase when
you start doubting that God will help you. It always leads to
failure when you can’t wait on God and try to work things out your
way. Nothing will prevent Christ from completing the job he started in
you. Your pain will not crush you and it has no power to destroy
you. When you shrink back in fear over your problems, you allow the
lie of Satan to rule in your life.

I know that you may be feeling
overwhelmed by all that is causing you pain right now, but don’t give up. You
need to remember that Jesus paid the price for you to have an abundant life in
spite of all the troubles you face. As he was dying on the cross for us,
he cried out with his last breath “IT IS FINISHED!” That means that nothing on
this earth can keep you in bondage! You have been set free. Anything that
opposes God’s will for you has now been rendered powerless. The impact of
those words should stay in your heart always. Victory is living
within you and the power that raised Christ from the dead is now your
strength.

The trial you are in cannot take you from God’s sight nor stop
him from helping you. In order to defeat the enemy, you
must know the truth. In James 4:7 we read, “Submit yourselves; then, to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." The main command is to “submit
yourselves to God” first. It is by humbling yourself before him and
trusting that he will help you that you get all the strength that you need to
make the devil and his schemes flee from you! The
forces of hell shudder at the sight of one believer in prayer who trusts that
God can do all things.

YOU are that believer! Let go
of the lies and begin to trust in the power of God. He can keep you in
his perfect peace beyond your power to understand. You can take God at
his word who says:

“You will keep in perfect peace him
whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

TOTAL PAGEVIEWS

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"He must increase, I must decrease" (John 3:30). My name is Charles Woodruff. I am 74 years old, and my desire is to serve God the rest of my days, preaching the old evangelical gospel that Paul and Peter preached, that Calvin preached, that Whitefield preached, that Spurgeon preached, and that Isaac Watts wrote about in his hymns. You are welcome! I hope you like our blogs.Your comments are also welcome. Please feel free to comment.

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